Kevin White shows the crappie limit he caught fishing the Sac River in a kayak. / Ken White/For the News-Leader

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Ken

WHITE

That’s what Fred Andrews of Lebanon asked when he saw a kayak on the Eleven Point River. More and more kayaks are appearing on area lakes and streams this summer, and the owners are telling why.

“Kayaking is a great way to enjoy the area ponds and lakes, and there is a kayak for nearly everyone in the family,” said Bob Davis of Ava. “They are fun to fish out of, and floating one of our area streams is a great way to go. I fish out of my new kayak and have caught a lot of fish by getting into places that I couldn’t reach before.”

The popularity of kayaks on Ozarks float streams has grown as floating fishermen discover their benefits, such as affordability compared to bigger boats and their (motorless) ecofriendly nature. Kayaks also provide fun and function.

In Ozark streams, fishermen target gamefish like smallmouth and largemouth bass, trout, crappie and other panfish. Floaters like Kevin White have owned a kayak for several years and caught a lot of fish while floating an Ozark stream. On a trip down the Sac River, White moved his kayak into a brush pile and he started pulling out crappie.

In less than an hour, he had his limit of 30 fish.

“It took less than an hour to catch the limit, but 30 crappie on a stringer behind the kayak was almost like dragging an anchor,” he said. “Besides being good for fishing, kayaks let you see nature close up.”

Springfield angler Don Clark has owned a kayak for several years and is sold on using one for floating and fishing.

“When I first started fishing in my kayak, I would be the only kayak on the water.” he said. “But last week, while floating the Gasconade, I saw six kayaks in the first mile. It shows how the popularity of kayaks has grown.”

When he was in high school, Clark remembers reading about how kayaks were used in Arctic regions for fishing and hunting on lakes and rivers as well as the coastal waters of the Arctic Ocean.

“My interest in kayaks started back then,” he said. “After I moved to Missouri from Nevada, I couldn’t pass up the chance to get a kayak to float and fish some of the many good float streams in the Ozarks.”

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Kayaks have been around a long time. Archaeologists have found evidence indicating the kayak design is at least 4,000 years old. In recent years, sport fishing from kayaks has become popular in fresh water in part because they can be stored in small spaces and launched quickly.

Clark has started customizing his kayak for fishing by installing built-in rod holders and a place that allows storage for fishing gear. He also carries batteries for his fish finder.

The cost of a new kayak can range from $200 to as much as $2,500, depending on factors like size, accessories and other features.

“Fishing from a kayak is essentially the same as fishing from any other canoe or boat,” Clark said. “I have found that fish can be caught at slow speeds and that has helped the increasing popularity of the kayak. The many streams in the Ozarks offer clean, clear water and great scenery. You never know what you might see around the next bend. You never know when a big smallmouth bass might hit your lure. That’s what makes floating and fishing in one of the many streams so great.”

For anyone wanting to discover a new floating and fishing experience, try using a kayak on one of the many wild rivers in the Ozarks.